Unraveled and Moving Forward

I know, I’ve already chewed your ear off about knitting, and I promise to get to the matter at hand – greening it up. But, it’s not everyday the circus comes to town and you get to jump into the ring with your buddies.

Knitted Rapture

While a bit overwhelming, The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival brings both pageantry and artistry to the creative craft of knitting. The sheer quantity and quality of yarn and wool-related items at this event is truly remarkable.

I generally don’t wear my love for knitting on my sleeve. Actually, most of my knit/purling goes directly to gift giving, but once a year at the Sheep and Wool Festival I'm in my element. In my yarn rapture, I feel connected to this creative community. Each year, I bring home one special skein (ok, maybe two) that reflect the moment.

Socks made from last year's blue/green gem:

Poking through the bins today, I found this beauty:

Greening up

As I continue to examine the eco-friendliness of….well, everything, I’ve got to say that knitting is not the greenest of crafts. It’s expensive, and much of the yarn is dyed with nasty chemicals. The manufacturing process is not energy-efficient, and a large chunk of yarn comes from faraway places, and that stomps on our carbon footprint.

What about organic yarn? Yes, organic yarn exists and it adheres to the same rigorous requirements as organic meat. The sheep must be fed organic food and be free of injected growth hormones. Their fleeces cannot be washed in chemicals. Even managing organic livestock is more sustainable than mass farming because the overgrazing of sheep is limited.

The yarn industry as a whole may have a way to go, but it’s encouraging to see that more and more small yarn producers are greening up their wares as they move forward in favor of a more sustainable future…like these folks:

Unraveled

I’ll leave you with a pearl of wisdom that my friend, Eric once noted while watching me (during a faculty meeting) rip out two hours of complicated knitting. He said that if you want to really get to the heart of a problem, you’re going to have to unravel your knitting and follow the situation back to the place where you made the mistake. Then move forward.

Photo Credit: Socks - Jen Kiaba

No Sew Curtains and DIY Window Treatment Ideas

Let’s talk curtains. Do you have them? I don’t, unless you count a shower curtain. I do have a few bamboo shades, but mostly, I don’t use window coverings because I live in the woods. A reader recently asked me if I have a simple DIY pattern for curtains. As a green home design enthusiast, I realized that curtains haven’t interested me that much. So, I asked a master seamstress and fellow design lover – my mom, about curtains. As you may know, I have lots of DIY chops, but sewing isn’t one of them. My mom always offers to help with decorating and mending projects that involve sewing.

Much to my surprise, mom says you don’t need to know how to sew to make curtains. Better yet, curtains and rods can be made from recycled and natural materials. Sheets and tablecloths make fine curtains. Curtain rods are easily created from decorative branches. For no-sew curtains, curtain making tips, window treatment inspiration, 7 DIY curtain rods and tie backs...CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Photo Credit: Country Living

DIY Gardener’s Bucket

Author Germaine Greer once said, “A garden is the best alternative therapy.” The National Gardening Association claims that an average 600 square-foot garden will yield 300 pounds of veggies. I guess that's why they call it produce! We organic gardeners are passionate about our little patches of earth, and many of us haul around some basic tools for gardening. Shovels, pruning sheers, trowels, spades, gloves, twine, plant labels and markers are just some of the implements that tag along with us into the garden. Keep gardening tools organized and carry those precious veges with this handy, easy-to-make, repurposed gardener’s bucket.

DIY Gardener’s Bucket

What you need:

• Heavy duty cotton canvas tool apron with divided pockets

• Cloth to line the bucket

• Clean bucket

What to do:

1. Tie belt around a bucket.

2. Line the bucket with cloth (I used 2 old cloth placemats).

3. Fill with tools.

4. Head out to the garden.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

5 Fun Facts About Linen And How to Make A Great Linen Bag

I'm having a love affair with linen. There's a linen covered couch in my den that is understated and relaxing. Linen clothes are breathable and become even softer and more comfortable over time.

Linen bags are an eco-alternative to plastic bags. Linen is antibacterial and antimycotic, which suppresses the growth of fungi. Perfect for carrying produce and groceries.

5 Fun Facts About Linen

1. Linen textiles may be the oldest in the world. 2. Fragments of straw, seeds, fibers, yarns and various types of fabrics found in Swiss lake dwellings have been traced back to about 8000 B.C. 3. Linen was used as currency in ancient Egypt. Mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. 4. The term "linen" refers to yarn and fabric made from flax fibers. 5. Today linen is often used as a generic term to describe a class of woven bed, bath, table and kitchen textiles because.

DIY Linen Bag

On a hot pursuit stroll through the blogosphere for a simple linen bag to make, I stumbled onto Between The Lines. This Parisian craft blog covers "anything that involves fabric, yarn, wool, paper, paint and glue." The creator, Pascal provides the perfect TUTORIAL for an aesthetically stylish linen bag.

Here's the intention behind the creation:

"I like to find out how things are made, how I can put things together in a simple, yet effective way. Sewing is a mental process to me. It's all about techniques, and seeing through whatever I try to make…I like things to be as minimal as possible. Whatever can be left out I leave out." ~ Between The Lines